60 



Texas Department of Agriculture. 



A serious attack. 



fairly started. The first step 

 that should be taken is to 

 find the cause. When the 

 bees have gained an entrance 

 to stores in a building, it 

 should be closed up immedi- 

 ately, and it is well to drive 

 the bees away with smoke. If 

 robbing is detected among the 

 bees, the size of the entrance 

 of every hive should be re- 

 duced till it IS a very small 

 one, so that the inmates may 

 be better able to protect 

 themselves. Ordinarily, a 

 bunch of wet straw, or 

 weeds, thrown over the en- 

 trance of a colony, in a bad 

 case, will discourage attack, as the robbers do not like to enter any 

 hive from which they can not escape easily, while the inmates of 

 the hive wiUingly and readily 

 pass through it. Sometimes 

 the mischief is done by only 

 one or two colonies in the 

 apiary robbing out some of 

 the weaker ones. In this ca-:e, 

 exchanging places, putting 

 the hives of the robbers on 

 the stand of those being rob- 

 bed, and these on the rob- 

 bers' stand, will confuse them 

 to such an extent that the 

 trouble will end. If a colony 

 is almost robbed out when 

 discovered, it is best to leave 

 it to the robbers to clean up 

 entirely, after which they will 

 quiet dovm, while if it is re- 

 moved there is danger of them pouncing on other colonies in their 

 eagerness to get what was still left in the hive taken away. If, in 

 a serious case, a colony attacked is not able to defend itself, it is 

 best to take it into a dark, cool room, or cellar, until darkness puts 

 a quietus on the robbing. When the colony is put back in its place 

 in the apiary, the entrance to its hive should be contracted to just 

 one bee space, so that only one bee can pass at a time ; when they will 

 be able to defend their hive properly. All operations should be done 

 after nightfall whenever bees are very much inclined to rob. 



The robbing cured. 



HONEY PRODUCTION. 



The beekeeper must decide upon the kind of honey to be produced 

 and equip the apiary with necessary fixtures for this. It is produced 



